


To the Sea

by niigoki



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/F, diving au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-25
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2019-06-16 07:34:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15432117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/niigoki/pseuds/niigoki
Summary: It feels like diving, falling in love.orDahyun lives by the beach and dives as a hobby. She meets a city girl and shows her a brand new world.





	To the Sea

**Author's Note:**

> Reward for @itsmihyunism on twitter! Thank you, I hope you enjoy it!

Living by the sea has its perks, Dahyun thinks.

The fresh breeze and smell of salt that she gets to have a taste every morning when she opens her windows and breathes in deeply is one of them; her great-grandmother used to say that the only reason she got to live to almost a hundred-years-old was because of the humid air. Dahyun believed her, and keeps believing every time she walks by the living room and touches the jar that used to hold her great-grandma’s ashes.

“Morning, granny.” She mutters as she does every morning, even though the ashes aren’t there anymore. They were scattered in the sea, as per the old woman’s last wishes. “Hope you’re not bothering the dolphins too much.”

The second best thing about living next to the beach was the view. Dahyun loved having breakfast outside in the balcony because she could enjoy a nice, warm cup of coffee and pancakes while watching the crystal-clear water and listening to the waves crashing on the sand. The sound used to bother her when she first moved into the old house, but now she can’t fathom falling asleep without it. It’s therapeutic, in a way.

Last, but definitely not least, the weather. Summer was her favorite season of the year because it allowed Dahyun to walk around town in slippers, crop tops and shorts, always with a bikini underneath, because she would always dive when the sun was setting before going back home. Even though diving was her job and she was on vacations, she still did it whenever she could – some would call it passion. Dahyun just calls it life.

Truly, life by the sea is everything she could’ve asked for.

Well, with one little inconvenience.

The loud sound of music blasts abruptly, making Dahyun nearly drop her mug. With a groan, she puts her hand on her chest and sighs.

“Still here?” Dahyun mutters to herself, getting up from the seat on the balcony and moving to her bedroom, where she could clearly see the source of the noise from her window.

She loved her neighborhood, really – living downtown meant having stores and restaurants close by and it was very convenient – but summer vacations were hell on earth. The city folk that came down to the beach were usually loud, especially the teenagers and young adults who wanted nothing more than to get wasted by the beach while singing loudly. To attract these tourists, bars and restaurants pulled out their dusty speakers and blasted loud music for the whole day, which prompted Dahyun to leave her house until everything had calmed down late at night.

She was sure that yesterday had been the last day of parties.

“Guess they extended the period of torture,” Dahyun grunts, drinking the last of her coffee and closing the window to try to muffle the sound; useless as always. Plan B was leaving her house and spending time diving with the fish. Those were quiet.

After finishing breakfast, Dahyun brushes her teeth, washes her face, puts on an absurd amount of sunscreen, and grabs her diving gear.

“I’m coming granny!” Dahyun smiles, touching the jar again before leaving excitedly.

Not even noisy brats could ruin her day on the beach.

 

\--

 

It’s crowded.

A lot more crowded than it’s supposed to be.

Dahyun almost drops her diving gear on the sand when she spots the amount of people crowding the beach – _her_ beach. In all the years living here, she’s never seen this many people pushing each other, yelling orders, littering the sidewalk and the sand, and—

Oh, God, Dahyun didn’t even want to know what they were doing to the ocean.

Someone touches her shoulder and Dahyun turns around, mouth still hanging open.

“Yo, Dahyunnie!” It’s one of the girls who work at the restaurant next to her house. She smiles brightly and Dahyun calms down at the sight of a familiar face.

“Momo-ya, hey.” She breathes out, then points to the beach. “Question: what the hell?”

“Right? It’s what I said, too.” Momo chuckles, apparently unbothered by the apocalypse happening right in front of them. “I asked the manager, but he just shrugged and said that more people meant more money.”

Dahyun rolls her eyes. “Of course.”

“The guy doesn’t care about the beach, so…” Momo looks down to the tray in her hands, filled with cups of beer and fries. “I’m actually in the middle of a delivery. Will you be around?”

“I mean, I was!” Dahyun puts her arms up, exasperatedly. “If I could even get to the water!”

“Diving again?”

“I was planning too,” She drops her arms and looks to the horizon helplessly. “I bet even my secret spot has been found by these hooligans.”

“Don’t call them that, they’re just enjoying their time.” Momo was way too good a person to be working on a shitty restaurant with a shitty manager. She always looked at the bright side of things, even if her clients treated her poorly. Dahyun wanted to get her out of there somehow, but she couldn’t even offer the girl a job, because Dahyun’s job involved swimming, something that Momo didn’t know how to do. “Who can blame them, out beach is so beautiful.”

“Beautiful isn’t exactly the word I’d use to describe the state of this place once they all leave.” Dahyun complains, because she knows that she’ll be tasked with cleaning duty as well. She was a volunteer, after all.

Momo pats her head. “You’re sounding like a grumpy old man. Go have fun.”

Dahyun whines a little longer, but eventually accepts defeat. “Fine… I’ll search for something else to do. You have a good day too.”

“Yes ma’am!”

“Hirai!” Momo’s manager yells from the distance and both girls flinch.

“Oops, that’s my cue. Later Dahyunnie!” Momo waves her goodbye and turns around to continue her job.

Dahyun huffs, scratches her head and turns towards the town, giving up. She stops on her tracks however, the weight of the diving gear in her hands making her self-conscious; she decides that maybe, just maybe, she could check to see if her secret spot was untouched. It _was_ pretty secret, and city folk didn’t know her beach.

Making up her mind, Dahyun dashes towards the rocky area at the very end of the beach, heart beating fast.

She would protect her secret spot, no matter what.

 

\--

 

Miraculously, the place is empty, even if there were some people down in the sand bathing under the sun. The crowd had concentrated near the restaurants as she predicted, so now that she was far away from civilization, the tourists had scattered.

Dahyun fist-pumps the air with a bright smile and sits on the rocks as the waves move against the small cliff.

Her secret spot is actually a popular diving area for those who have it as hobby, but for tourists, it just looks like a cliff and bunch of boring rocks. The waves aren’t even violently smashing against the cliffside, so there isn’t really an appeal to the place if you’re looking at it from the outside. Dahyun loves it because of that.

Underneath the calm water, there is a colorful world of sea creatures, alive and breathing. Dahyun knows the corals and its residents like the palm of her hand by now – she has been diving at that same spot for over five years. Her great-grandmother was the one who had pushed her down there when she was barely ten, and Dahyun remembers looking at the colors and fish and thinking how badly she wish she could live there with all of them. It was a world of dreams.

Dahyun loves the ocean more than anything.

“Did you scare all the tourists from this place, granny?” Dahyun mutters to herself with a chuckle as she looks down to the water. A stronger wave crashes on the rocks, wetting her feet – an answer, maybe. “Good. Keep up the good work.”

She sighs happily and finally gets up, starting her stretching routine. Waking up her muscles makes her feel good and also prevents her from cramping down there, so she takes this part of her routine very seriously. After a few minutes, she feels ready to put on her gear.

That’s when she hears the distinct sound of bare feet stepping on water puddles behind her.

“Oh,” A gentle voice makes Dahyun turn around, and she sees a girl that looks lost. “Hello.”

“Hi,” Dahyun smiles gently. They stare at each other for a moment, then Dahyun clears her throat. “Do you need help?”

“N-no, no,” The girl stutters a little, playing with the hem of her skirt. She’s wearing a bikini top and looks ready for _something_ – Dahyun couldn’t place her finger on what, exactly. “I was just… I mean— Mina!”

Then the girl stretches one arm and Dahyun raises an eyebrow. “Oh! Dahyun.” They shake hands and the girl blushes, hiding her face in hands after that.

“I’m sorry, I probably look like an idiot.” She’s shy again and the gesture is so endearing that Dahyun can’t even crack a joke to break this awkward atmosphere.

“No, you don’t, you look pretty.” Is what Dahyun says instead, and immediately feels the tips of her ears burn.

Mina peeks from behind her fingers and the two just look at each other for a second before bursting into laughter at the same time. This is the weirdest first encounter of Dahyun’s life, but something about it feels right, somehow. She can almost hear her great-grandmother giggling in her ear as the ocean watches the two awkward girls.

“Well… that was awful. Want to try again?” Dahyun says after that with a soft gaze, and Mina returns the smile.

“Sounds good.”

“Kim Dahyun, 21, local beach resident. I live in a house near those restaurants packed with tourists that come down here every summer vacation.”

“Myoui Mina,” She chuckles. “22, one of the tourists on a summer vacation. Nice to meet you.”

“Oh, shoot, I hope that didn’t sound rude or anything!” Dahyun stumbles on her words, embarrassed.

Mina simply shakes her head. “You’re right, though. The reason I came here is because I can’t stand crowds, either.” There’s a playful glint in her eyes. “I’d apologize on their behalf for bothering you with the noise, but it won’t really change anything.”

“I’m used to it, anyway.” Dahyun shrugs, then really looks at Mina properly. She’s very beautiful, but the lack of gear tells Dahyun that she’s not here to dive. “So… I assume the reason you’re all the way over here is because you wanted to be as far away from people as possible?”

Mina giggles and makes her way towards Dahyun. “Aren’t you smart?” She says as she walks past her and then sits down on the edge of the cliff.

Dahyun feels all the hairs on her body standing up and breathes out. She turns around and sees that Mina is looking at her over her shoulder, patting the spot by her side. Dahyun feels herself being pulled by an invisible force, and sits down next to her, legs dangling off the edge comfortably.

“I found this place yesterday, but it was already late. So I decided to come here today to enjoy it a little longer.” Mina explains as she watches the horizon.

“I see,” Dahyun puts down the gear by her side and grins. “Well, I’d say that _you’re_ the smart one here, because this happens to be my secret and _favorite_ spot in this whole city.”

“The whole city?”

“I said what I said.”

“Woah,” Mina says unenthusiastically and Dahyun nudges her with her shoulder, making her laugh. “I meant, woah!”

“That’s better.”

The little jokes come easy. Dahyun hasn’t felt this peaceful with a stranger in a long time, and wonders if the ocean made conversations flow better, like the currents.

“Why is this your favorite place?” Mina asks, breaking the silence again.

Dahyun points to somewhere in the sea. “Right there is where I dive.”

“Dive?” That’s when Mina’s eyes move towards the gear and everything clicks. “Oh! You were about to dive, weren’t you? I’m sorry—”

“You didn’t bother me, if that’s what you’re gonna say.” Dahyun dismisses her with a hand gesture. “I literally dive every other day, I need to stop.”

“Like… an addiction?”

“Guess you could say that.”

“Well,” Mina faces her with a soft smile. “I’m glad I could help, then.”

 _Moles_ , Dahyun thinks when she finally gets to look at her closely. _Pretty lips, too._

“Yeah. You were a nice surprise.”

Mina laughs at this, pushing her playfully, and when their skins touch again, it’s electrifying. Dahyun wonders if Mina felt it too. Maybe it was just her.

They talk a lot. About pointless things, about interesting things. Dahyun learns that the vacation period shifted this year, and that’s why the city is still crawling with people. Mina lives in a city at a two-hours distance, and is on her last year of college. Dahyun asks her what she’s majoring in, but is met with a vague response.

“What fun would it be to know everything about me on our first conversation?” She’s playful now, flirty, even, and Dahyun could drink every little sarcastic remark this girl had to offer, because it excited her absurdly for some reason.

“Fine, then I won’t tell you my job either.” Dahyun responds, crossing her arms.

“Professional diving.” Mina says, simply, and Dahyun’s shoulders drop.

“How did you— oh, because of the diving gear, is that it?”

“No,” Mina leans in closer. “Because you just told me.”

_Too close._

Dahyun wanted to get closer.

Mina leans back, though, and the conversation goes on as if nothing happened.

_This is fun._

They learn a lot about each other, and it’s bizarre. Dahyun has never shared this amount of information with someone in her entire life, not even her friends. She tells Mina about her great-grandmother, and how she was the reason she started diving in the first place. Tells her about the way she lived with the old woman in the house until she passed away, and then refused to go back to the city with her parents because she wanted to take care of the beach house. Tells her about the coral and the dolphins that sometimes appeared at sunset; tells her about good places to eat and fun things to do.

Mina, in return, doesn’t tell her much. It was like she was simply learning about Dahyun without reciprocating the amount of information, but that was okay, because it gave Dahyun a reason to want to spend more time with her.

The day passes faster than it ever has. At some point they’re both hungry for lunch, and Dahyun is about to suggest that they go to a restaurant, but Mina has other plans.

“Stay here,” She says, and disappears down the cliff. Dahyun watches the girl as she grabs a few things from her bag down on the sand, and soon returns to Dahyun’s side with food.

“What are you, a genie in a bottle?” Dahyun laughs as Mina gives her one of the four sandwiches she’d brought.

“Be thankful and eat.”

They do. After that, they share more stories.

The setting sun tells them that it’s time to leave the cliff, maybe, and Dahyun has never felt this sad about going home after a whole day of doing nothing. She wanted to keep talking to Mina, and the realization that she would definitely look for her again tomorrow hits her harder than she anticipated.

“So… how long are you staying again?” Dahyun asks as nonchalantly as she can manage as they walk back to the city.

“One week,” Mina replies with a chuckle. “I’m afraid you’ll have to bear another week of annoying tourists on your beach.”

“I don’t know about them,” Dahyun puts her hands in her pockets. “But I don’t think I’d mind another week of you.”

Mina pushes her again to the side, inciting the same electrifying feeling on her skin from before. “Smooth.”

They arrive at their destination and Dahyun swings on her feet a little. “So…”

“So?”

“Thank you for the sandwiches.”

Mina laughs, and the way the corners of her eyes squint is beautiful. Dahyun thinks that maybe her whole face might be too pretty.

“See you tomorrow, Dahyun.” Mina does the favor of reassuring her that yes, they are going to meet again. Probably on the same spot, too.

They part with a simple wave and Dahyun stays rooted in place, watching Mina walk away with slow steps. She doesn’t turn around once, but she is deliberately taking her sweet time to get out of view, and the way she moves her hips makes Dahyun roll her eyes with a smirk.

When she’s out of sight for good, Dahyun turns around, and goes back home with the dumbest smile plastered on her face.

She couldn’t wait to know more about this city girl.

 

\--

 

Birds chirp on top of Dahyun’s window and she grunts as the low light seeps in through the cracks in the blinds. For a moment, all she can do is turn her face to the colder side of the pillow and sigh sleepily. Something at the pit of her stomach tells her that she needs to wake up, but in her half-asleep state, Dahyun doesn’t remember why. She’s almost swept away to the land of dreams again when a familiar face and a gummy smile pop up in her head.

Dahyun’s eyelids fly open and she sits upright immediately.

“What time is it??” She mutters to herself and sighs in relief when she realizes that she didn’t sleep past noon.

There was plenty of time to eat breakfast and meet Mina again.

It was the most excited she’s been this whole month.

 

\--

 

“Do you ever sleep?” Is the first thing Dahyun says when she sees that Mina is already sitting by the cliff when she gets there.

“Maybe. Maybe not.” Mina’s mouth is full of watermelon cubes and she smiles up to the diver with puffy cheeks. “I’m a woman of many secrets.”

“Well, lucky you, I love a mystery.” Dahyun replies, sitting next to her. Mina offers her a bite, and Dahyun opens her mouth so she can feed her. With a giggle, Mina does, and the two finish eating in a comfortable silence.

“So, I might have planned something for us today.” Dahyun says as soon as she’s finished swallowing her last watermelon.

“Oh?”

With a swift move, she opens the bag that she’d been carrying and takes out not one, but two diving gears. Mina’s eyes are wide open as Dahyun passes her the mask and snorkel and she brushes her fingers against the rubber. “Really? Diving?”

“What? No, this is for stargazing.” Mina slaps Dahyun’s arm and she laughs. “Yeah, genius, diving.”

“Keep being rude to me and I’m not bringing watermelon tomorrow.”

Dahyun’s heart beats strongly when she realizes that Mina just implied that she wants to meet her again the next day. She shouldn’t be this excited, but she is.

“Forgive me, watermelon princess!”

“You’re the worst.” Mina laughs, shoving Dahyun a little to the side.

There’s a glint in Mina’s eyes as she keeps examining the gear in her hands and Dahyun wonders if she went too far by suggesting a dive. They’ve known each other for a day; maybe it was too sudden and too weird.

“We don’t have to if you don’t want to.” Dahyun says gently, her smile never wavering.

Mina blinks, snapping out of her trance, and faces Dahyun with a blush. “No, no, that’s not… I want to. I just never did it before.”

“I get it,” Dahyun has worked with first-timers lots of times before. “Well, do you know how to swim?”

“Yes.”

“Then that’s all you need. Leave the rest to me!”

Dahyun gets up like a hyperactive puppy and Mina can’t help but to giggle, looking up. When Dahyun offers her a hand, she takes it, and the two of them walk side by side down to the beach, toward Dahyun’s special diving spot.

Putting on the gear is easier than Mina thought. With Dahyun’s help, she now feels like a true professional.

“So, we can keep swimming for about an hour with this tank,” Dahyun explains, finishing putting on her fins. “It might be weird to move your feet at first wearing these, but trust me, once you get the hang of it, it’s like you’re a mermaid.”

“I like mermaids,” Mina says a little nervously, trying to stop herself from bailing. “They’re pretty and sing well.”

“Well you got the pretty part down,” Dahyun says without a second thought, then tries to fix the blunt statement with an awkward chuckle. “How about the singing?”

Mina only grins at that and opens her mouth, a melodious sound coming out unexpectedly. Dahyun freezes on the spot, paying full attention to the girl in front of her. She feels mesmerized.

Maybe mermaids truly existed.

Once Mina is done with her impromptu recital, she looks at Dahyun again, and the sheer admiration on the girl’s face makes butterflies go loose in her stomach. “I guess that look means that I did a good job.”

Dahyun doesn’t answer for a moment, then shakes her head to snap out of it. “Yeah, it was okay, I guess.”

Mina once again punches her slightly and Dahyun laughs. “Let’s go, there’s a whole new world down there.”

Dahyun starts moving to the water and Mina’s heart beats strongly against her chest again. She takes a deep breath and follows the girl, remembering all the previous instructions – don’t panic, keep close, hold onto her if you need to, and enjoy the show.

As soon as the water gets deeper than she’s accustomed to, Mina stops. Dahyun is almost submerged when she notices the lack of presence behind her, and turns around, removing the snorkel from her mouth. “Everything okay?”

“Y-yeah. Yeah, I just got a little nervous…” Mina’s eyes are glued to the water beating on her chest, and she wonders if she’s really ready for this. Despite the oxygen tank being completely full, thoughts about running out of air underwater creates a sense of panic at the pit of her stomach. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea, after all.

Suddenly, Dahyun is by her side, holding her hand with the utmost care. Mina looks up at her, and they’re really close. “I’ll be here with you. You can trust me, I’ll protect you if anything goes wrong.”

The reassurance makes Mina feel lighter. It doesn’t even make sense, to trust someone she’s known for such a short period of time with her life, but it’s exactly what she does when she allows Dahyun to pull her slowly until they’re underwater. Mina closes her eyes out of pure instinct and holds her breath, squeezing Dahyun’s hand. It’s cold, she’s deafened by the liquid in her ears, and everything feels pressuring. When she feels Dahyun’s fingers squeezing hers back, Mina finally opens her eyes, and what she sees makes her involuntarily take a deep breath – and it’s okay, because she’s wearing a snorkel.

It’s more beautiful than she could ever have anticipated. The multitude of colors bursting from the corals and sea life is phenomenal, and the movement of algae and fish along with the current makes for a spectacle that Mina could only dream about. It was funny, how she had to rely on vision and touch alone, since her hearing was muffled by the water. Mina wondered what kind of fantastic sounds she would be able to hear if she was able to. Maybe being a mermaid could become her new dream.

When Dahyun shakes her hand a little bit, Mina looks at her, and Dahyun makes a thumbs-up and thumbs-down signal, asking if she was okay. Mina shoots her a thumbs-up and Dahyun’s eyes smile through the mask, relieved. She pulls Mina further down until they can get close enough to touch the corals, and finally lets her go slowly. Dahyun keeps her eyes on Mina the whole time to check if it was okay to let her swim freely for a moment, and when Mina’s little legs start moving on their own, Dahyun grins again.

Mina wants to touch everything, but was warned beforehand not to. She didn’t want to disrupt the biome and ruin the entire reef, so she manages to restrain herself and simply observe. Some fishes swim alongside her and Mina giggles, making bubbles float above her. She looks up and sees the sunlight distorted as it tries to puncture the water, and it feels incredibly peaceful to just float along with the current. Dahyun had promised her that they wouldn’t dive deeper than the corals allowed, and Mina was now disappointed, because she wanted to explore everything now that she’s here.

They swim for a long time, with Dahyun always by her side, pulling her by the hand when she wants to show her something, pointing at interesting things and making hand gestures every fifteen minutes, asking Mina if she wants to go back to the surface. Mina denies each time, her eyes beaming with wonder and joy. Dahyun feels her heart jumping on her chest.

Seeing the absolute amazement on someone’s eyes when they dive for the first time is Dahyun’s absolute weakness.

A turtle approaches them slowly and Mina yelps so loudly that Dahyun can actually hear her for a moment. When she turns around to see what caught her attention, Dahyun smiles hard.

Her great-grandma always told her that she would become a sea turtle in her next life. Every time one of these creatures swam by Dahyun when she was underwater, she would feel a pull, like the old woman was saying hello. This time was no different.

Dahyun stretches her arm and touches the turtle’s belly with a soft gaze. She mentally greets the animal and her grandma, and Mina watches it with reverence. It feels like a very intimate moment for some reason, and it makes her admire Dahyun even more. That girl had a connection to the sea and it was beautiful to see.

After that, Dahyun joins her again to swim a little more.

Unfortunately, the oxygen tanks can’t last forever, and Dahyun has to tell Mina that their time is up after an hour. She can almost hear Mina’s sigh underwater and chuckles a little, offering a hand. Mina gladly takes it, and Dahyun turns upwards, moving her legs so they can leave the place.

Mina looks behind her one more time, trying to capture the stunning view and keep it locked inside her heart.

Breaking through the surface again, Dahyun removes the snorkel, letting go of the girl by her side. “Whew! So, how was it?”

Mina takes her gear off too, and tries to speak, but what comes out is a laugh, instead. She laughs a lot, and doesn’t even know why she’s filled with so much joy at that moment, but she needs to let Dahyun know how much she loved diving with her.

So, Mina throws herself at her, hugging Dahyun in the middle of the ocean. The gesture brings both of them down and Dahyun has to wave her arms to tell her to let go or else they would drown. Mina swallows some water too, and both manage to get back to the shore while coughing and wheezing.

Dahyun drags her tired body to the sand and collapses on her back, with Mina by her side. Then, she laughs too. “I should scold you for doing that.”

Mina sighs contently. “Yeah, that was stupid, huh?”

“Very,” Dahyun manages to subdue her giggles and turns her face to look at Mina. “I didn’t hate it, though.”

Mina looks back, and they simply stare at each other for a silent moment. Mina’s sun-kissed skin and wet hair is a view that could very much become Dahyun’s favorite. She was so effortlessly pretty.

“Thank you, Dahyun.” Mina breaks the silence, turning on her side. She reaches over to brush a strand of wet hair from Dahyun’s cheek. “That was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

Dahyun can’t focus on much else when Mina’s warm hand is on her cheek and her eyes are overflowing with warmth. “Yeah. It… used to be the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, too.”

“Used to?”

The waves crash against them, wetting them more, and Dahyun laughs again, getting up. “We should take this gear off.” Then, her stomach rumbles. “…And eat?”

Mina chuckles. “Sounds like a plan.”

And just like that, Dahyun falls a little more.

 

\--

 

They dive again on the third day. It’s the first thing Mina asks her when they meet by the cliff, and Dahyun can only smile, because of course she brought the gear again. Mina isn’t as scared the second time around, and even though she should’ve expected it, seeing the same coral from the day before hits her hard. Nothing has changed, but it feels surreal, still.

She shifts her attention to Dahyun and sees the way the girl lies down on the sand and seemingly plays with the fish like she’s been doing it forever. It’s like she’s a real mermaid, and the sea creatures are used to her presence on their neighborhood. Mina wants to join her, but still feels like an outsider.

Luckily for her, Dahyun seems to know what’s going on inside her head, because she gestures for Mina to lie down next to her with a slow pat on the sand. Mina hesitates for a moment but decides to seize the moment and enjoy this experience to its fullest. She wouldn’t be able to do this often, after all.

When her stomach hits the sand next to Dahyun, she smiles, feeling giddy as Dahyun grabs her hand and guides it to a certain spot on the reef. Mina realizes that there’s a sea sponge right in front of her, and if Dahyun is touching it gently, then Mina can, too. She does, and the texture is so funny and different that it makes Mina laugh with bubbles around her. Dahyun laughs too and the two keep lying at the bottom, playing lazily.

Dahyun at some point rests her head on her arm and closes her eyes, as if falling asleep. Mina stops playing with the friendly sponge and stares. She doesn’t know if it’s because of the different environment, but she notices every little detail from Dahyun’s face right at that moment – her fair skin, even though she lives at the beach; her monolids, her squishy cheeks, the flowing blonde hair.

Dahyun is devastatingly beautiful like this. Mina feels her chest compressing with a feeling she hasn’t felt in years.

She snuggles close, placing her head next to Dahyun’s, and closes her eyes. Every fear dissipates as Mina accepts that she feels incredibly safe underwater, as long as Dahyun is by her side.

When she feels an arm pulling her closer, Mina smiles.

She sort of wishes they weren’t wearing snorkels right now.

 

\--

 

The fourth day is different.

“Let me take you on a tour through the city.” Dahyun says, already wearing more comfortable clothes when they meet in the morning.

Mina feels a tad disappointed for a moment, but seeing Dahyun dressed like that makes her grin nonetheless. “Aww, no diving today?”

“Oh, no, we’ll dive. But later.”

“Later?”

Dahyun offers her one arm. “You’re not the only girl with many mysteries, madame. Shall I escort you?”

Mina rolls her eyes, but the red tint on her cheeks betrays her true feelings. She grabs Dahyun’s arm, pulling her closer. “Fine. Guide me, my prince.”

“A prince, huh?”

“If I’m the watermelon princess, then you’re the water prince.”

“Water and watermelon. The name of our indie band.”

“Oh my god, shut up.” Mina laughs and Dahyun smiles, because her laughter is the best sound in the whole wide world, maybe.

 

\--

 

The city is wonderful, and Mina is glad to have a local as a guide, because she’s sure she would have walked past the hidden alleys and small parks if she went there by herself. During the whole day, Dahyun showed her historical places and modern hang out spots – from old churches that had survived the war to cool bars that young adults could go to. They had lunch in one of the innumerous plazas, sitting on a bench in front of a fountain. Dahyun had ordered Mina a hot dog, and it was one of the best ones she’s ever tasted.

“It’s the symbol of our city.” Dahyun had said with a mouthful.

“A hot dog?”

“Yes.”

“You’re not serious.”

“What? Just because we live by the beach it doesn’t mean that our symbol has to be algae.”

Mina had laughed then, pushing the girl and calling her a dork.

Now, bathed by the setting sun, Mina and Dahyun return to the cliff, per the diver’s instructions.

“This is honestly the best place to watch the sunset, I think.” Dahyun says as they climb the rocky area.

“Aren’t you a bit biased?” Mina teases, still holding her arm. She hadn’t let the opportunity of touching Dahyun slip once for the whole day.

“Excuse me, I think I’d know my beach.” Dahyun replies, pulling Mina a little bit closer.

“You’re totally biased.”

They bicker for a while as they reach the edge of the cliff where they first met, then sit down side by side, nudging each other with their elbows. There’s silence then as they watch the water changing colors, from bright blue to a strong orange. Mina really can’t pick what view is the prettiest, this, or the corals.

(She steals a glance at Dahyun’s side profile. Maybe there was a third option, too.)

“Can I ask you a question?” Dahyun speaks up.

“Shoot.”

“Why did you come to the beach alone?”

The waves crash slowly against the rocks, sometimes wetting their feet with drips of water. Mina moves her toes. “My best friend was supposed to come with me, but she failed class.”

Dahyun hisses. “Ouch, that’s bad.”

“Yeah,” Mina chuckles. “It’s all right, I text her everyday and tell her of my adventures. She’s really jealous I got to dive.”

“Maybe she can use that as an excuse to study harder next year.”

“Hmm, maybe…” Mina bites her lower lip. “Although I don’t think I want to share.”

Dahyun blinks, looking at her. “Share… the whole ocean?”

“Yeah. The entire ocean. It’s all mine now.” Mina deadpans, receiving another nudge on her ribs. “Also, my diving instructor.”

This simple statement makes all the hairs on Dahyun’s neck stand, and she breathes out a chuckle, facing forward again with red cheeks. “It’s not like the water prince can be separated from the watermelon princess.”

“I don’t know about that, princes are usually mischievous.”

“I’m offended with your assumption!” Dahyun puts a dramatic hand on her chest. “Do you really think that I’d cheat on you like that?”

Mina wants to keep the joke going but she can’t hold back a heartwarming laughter. “What are we, dating?”

“Well, if today wasn’t a date, I don’t know what it was.”

There is a pause as Dahyun allows the words to hit, then she falls backwards on the ground, hiding her face in hands. She has no idea what’s about Mina that makes blunt sentences come out so easily like that, but they do, and she’s sure she made a fool out of herself more times than she can possibly count.

Still, Mina stayed.

Mina only hovers above her after a moment, and pries Dahyun’s hands away from her face. “A date, huh?”

“I mean, it was really just me dragging you to my favorite spots in town.”

“Isn’t this what a date is like?”

“I don’t know, I haven’t dated. Much.”

“Right.”

Dahyun stares, and Mina stares back. Her eyes roam Dahyun’s features lazily, memorizing her face just like she had memorized the corals.

Maybe Dahyun’s eyes weren’t as colorful, but they were just as alive.

Mina leans forward slowly and Dahyun only notices the movement when she can feel the girl’s breath on her lips, and the mole she’d been focusing on blurs with the proximity. Before anything can happen, though, Dahyun turns away, sitting back up.

“Oh, damn! We need to go before the sun sets completely!” Dahyun grabs the backpack she’d been carrying the whole day and opens it, handling Mina a mask and a snorkel.

Mina looks at it, confused. “What— Dahyun, I’m not wearing a bikini.”

“It’s fine! Clothes dry quickly.”

“It’s getting dark soon.”

“Exactly!”

“Exactly??”

Dahyun gets up, offering her a hand. “Trust me.”

The orange glow reflects Dahyun’s pale skin, making her shine like a deity, and right there, Mina knows that she’d trust her with things more important than her life underwater. She’d give her anything if she asked; her heart, and experiences, memories, and words – wet clothes looked minimal compared to the amount of affection for this girl that was suddenly running through Mina’s veins.

She grabs Dahyun’s hand, and doesn’t let go until they’re waist-deep into the ocean.

“Put the mask on, and do what I do.” Dahyun says before biting on the snorkel and disappearing under the water.

Mina does the same, noticing that the water is pretty warm for the evening, and diving with her. When she sees the dark orange, almost purple hue that the surroundings have taken, she nearly cries.

It’s too beautiful.

Dahyun is a little further down, with her back turned so she can face the surface. Mina swims towards her and copies the gesture. They stay like that, side by side, and Mina feels Dahyun reaching for her hand. Mina intertwines their fingers this time, and they float mindlessly along the soft current as they watch the light shift to darker tones, until it completely disappears.

Watching a full sunset underwater wasn’t on Mina’s bucket list, but she’s glad she crossed it off.

She thinks the surprise is over, but Dahyun has one more thing up her sleeve. She tugs at Mina’s hand, pulling her deeper, and when Mina faces the absolute darkness of the ocean, her first instinct is to freeze and pull back. She doesn’t dare letting go of Dahyun’s hand, feeling lost at the pits of an abyss that threatens to swallow her whole, but Dahyun squeezes her palm in reassurance.

A sudden light illuminates their path. Dahyun is holding a very strong flashlight.

Mina can see the corals now, and without the blue sky above their heads to distort the colors underneath, she can finally appreciate the true colors of the reef and sand, the algae and sea sponges, and everything that Mina had taken for granted suddenly looks a thousand times better.

The ocean at night was divine.

They explore the reef, with Mina’s eyes darting everywhere, fully taking the absolute beauty of the place. She feels like she’s floating in space because of the lack of color in the water around her, and wonders how many times Dahyun has seen this same, unique view.

The fish had gone to sleep at this point, which made the place look empty, but despite this, it didn’t look scary at all. Mina sees new, different creatures that come out at night, and yelps in surprise at each one of them. She wants to know more, wants to know everything, but she can’t turn around and ask. Those are the times she really wishes she was a mermaid.

Dahyun watches Mina’s curious eyes and smiles with a happy tug in her chest. She wants to show her the world she’s used to see, and even if that’s not possible to an amateur diver, this simple moment is already too special. Dahyun closes her eyes and sighs contently.

She pokes Mina’s shoulder to make her turn to her. Stretching one hand is her signal for Mina to hold on tight, and she does, curious of what other surprises that girl has in store. Suddenly, Dahyun turns off the flashlight, and everything becomes incredibly dark.

Mina holds Dahyun’s hand tightly, immediately trembling with fear. She disliked the darkness, but being unable to see underwater was a thousand times more terrifying. She almost pulls Dahyun towards her; she wanted to hug her and feel protected.

Suddenly, Dahyun spreads her free arm, and a glimpse of a faint glow surrounds her. She does it again, creating another path of weak, blue light. When Dahyun squeezes Mina’s hand, she understands. Mina moves her arm this time, and the glow appears once more.

It spreads around them, like stars in a floating sky. Mina has read about this once.

Bioluminescence. The ocean’s own natural light source.

Mina nearly lets her mouth hang open at the show, moving her arm as much as she can, as well as her legs. Countless plankton swim around them, invisible against the light, but clearly visible as soon as they allow the night to be untouched. They’re shining for them, and no one else.

The girls have to return after about fifteen minutes because of the oxygen, but Mina doesn’t seem so disappointed this time. When they break through the surface again, Dahyun makes sure that they reach the sand before speaking – she didn’t want another hug to cause a potential drowning situation.

Their clothes are absolutely wet.

“So, what did you think?” Dahyun asks once they’re seated by the wet sand. She takes some towels from her bag and passes one to Mina, who dries herself with a smile on her face.

“I never knew… that night diving was a thing.”

“It’s my favorite type of diving. Specially because of the plankton you saw.” Dahyun dries her hair wildly, then speaks slower. “…Okay, can I be honest with you?”

Mina just nods, still dazed.

“Technically it’s too dangerous to take amateurs night diving,” She laughs nervously. “But you were doing so well, and I just wanted to show you my favorite thing in the world before you left, you know, in a few days from now, and I know it was very sudden, but when you think about it, the best things in life come out of nowh—”

In a sudden move, Mina grabs Dahyun’s towel, wraps it around her neck, and pulls her in, locking their lips together. It’s so sudden that Dahyun’s brain short-circuits for a moment and she can’t even process it. She feels the lips on hers moving slowly and finally closes her eyes, allowing herself to feel this.

_Oh, she’s kissing me._

Dahyun opens her mouth a little, placing both hands on Mina’s waist and pulling her closer, tilting her head to kiss her deeper. Mina nips, her tongue brushing against Dahyun’s tentatively. It makes both of them breathless.

A strong wave hits them at that moment, making them fall on top of each other with a screech. There’s silence, then they start laughing.

Dahyun can’t believe the ocean ruined the moment.

“I guess it is kinda rude to make-out in front of granny.” Dahyun says after catching her breath.

“Granny?” Mina asks, getting up to dry herself once more.

“Yeah, my great-grandma. When she, uh… when she died, she asked us to scatter her ashes in the sea. I believe she’s always watching me when I dive.”

Mina softens her gaze, putting the towel down. “I’m sure she is.”

There’s kindness to Mina’s words. Dahyun feels her chest exploding.

She doesn’t want to let her go.

“Mina.”

“Yes?”

Dahyun doesn’t know if she should say it so bluntly. She realizes that she’s been blunt with her ever since they first spoke, so who cares.

“Let’s get dry and warm back at my place.”

She waits for the response with her face burning, but instead of a refusal or a teasing remark, Mina just smiles.

“I’d like that.”

 

\--

 

It’s been so long since Dahyun had visits that she feels self-conscious of the mess now; she’s not exactly the most organized person in the world. Once they step inside the house, she tells Mina to shower first, giving her a pair of shorts and a big shirt, as well as a new dry towel. As soon as Mina disappears into the bathroom, she starts cleaning her room.

Or, at least, putting the clothes back into the wardrobe so they can walk around without tripping on a pair of shoes.

After a few minutes the place looks a lot better than before, and Dahyun falls backwards on her bed with a thud and a sigh. She closes her eyes to organize her thoughts, but it’s hopeless.

The sound of the water running in her shower is surreal.

Dahyun brings delicate fingers to her lips, tracing the places Mina kissed. She smiles dumbly, unable to control her features, and giggles by herself as she waits for the girl to be done.

Mina kissed her. And she kissed her back. Then the sea broke the spell.

It takes Dahyun about half a second to realize that she’s craving that kiss again. And maybe once more, if Mina allows her.

She has no idea what she’s doing.

Listening to the waves crashing on the shore has always been soothing, so that’s what Dahyun focus on to stop her heart from bursting right out of her chest. She pictures the reef and the moment her head disappears under the water, muffling her hearing. It’s her favorite part of diving, because it’s at that point that she knows she can float away from the world and just _be_.

Dahyun finds it fascinating how lonely she suddenly feels. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, but the glint in Mina’s eyes when she finally gazed upon the corals for the first time was priceless.

Dahyun wanted to drown in her.

“Dahyun?” Mina’s voice jolts her awake, and Dahyun sits up on the bed.

“Right here, in my room.”

She waits, and Mina soon comes into view, wet hair and wearing her clothes. It knocks the breath out of Dahyun’s lungs.

“You can shower, now.” Mina says softly.

Dahyun doesn’t know what it is. Perhaps it’s the moonlight reflected on Mina’s face, or the sight of her wearing an oversized shirt, or the way Mina’s lips are slightly parted as she looks intensely at Dahyun, waiting for something.

When Dahyun met her, Mina seemed to be ready for something, too.

Dahyun moves, jumping out of her bed and cupping Mina’s cheek without a second thought. Before she can do anything, she looks at Mina, a silent question in her gaze.

Mina answers by wrapping her arms around Dahyun’s shoulders.

They push forward at the same time, kissing with a desperation unbeknownst to neither of them. It’s like Dahyun needs her to breathe suddenly, needs Mina’s mouth to break the surface and inhale, and it feels so incredibly good. Their tongues touch and Dahyun drinks everything, quickly at first, but slower as soon as Mina sucks on her bottom lip. Dahyun groans against her mouth, moving back a little. When her legs touch the bed, she sits, pulling Mina with her, who simply straddles Dahyun’s lap.

They break the kiss to look at each other and Mina smiles, breathless. “Hey.”

Dahyun nuzzles her neck, hugging her close. “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.”

Mina kisses the crown of her head, closing her eyes. She feels Dahyun’s lips moving against her neck and shivers. “Don’t apologize. I don’t want you to hold back.”

This sets something ablaze inside Dahyun and she moves her kisses upwards, inciting a slight groan from the back of Mina’s throat. It’s exhilarating.

Mina moves her head back to give her more access to her neck, and Dahyun sucks slowly, biting gently and kissing everywhere she can reach. The gesture makes heat pool down on Mina’s abdomen and she moves on Dahyun’s lap to adjust her position. The sudden shift makes Dahyun whine a little, biting stronger. Mina chuckles.

“I’m all sticky because of the sea,” Dahyun mutters against Mina’s shoulder, her face burning.

Mina thinks for a bit, then gets up, pulling Dahyun with her. “Then let’s take a shower.”

Dahyun swallows. “Like… together?”

“Yes.”

“But… you just showered.” She feels like an idiot; what was the point of being shy now?

Mina simply steps forward and captures Dahyun’s mouth again, kissing her slowly. She presses her front against her, and takes Dahyun’s hand, placing it against her skin under the big shirt, then guiding it down to her ass. “I might need another one.”

It’s really all it takes.

Dahyun slams the door open and Mina laughs at the way she fumbles with her clothes. It’s really hard to take off your shirt when you’re a jittery mess, as it turns out. She finally manages and almost chokes when she turns around and sees that Mina was already naked behind her.

“Wow.”

Mina laughs, averting her gaze shyly. “That’s a first.”

“Bullshit, look at your body!”

Mina is toned, ridiculously so. Dahyun can see abs and muscles, and wonders if Mina’s major involves sports, somehow. She still needs to figure that one out. But for now, she’d rather enjoy the moment.

“You can look too.” Mina’s voice is low and incredibly sexy. Dahyun doesn’t know if she wants to punch a wall or kiss every inch of her – she decides to get under the shower. Mina joins her with a chuckle.

For the first minutes Dahyun actually showers properly. Mina helps her wash her back and her hair, and the two joke around to break the ice. Dahyun’s heart soars when she realizes that talking to Mina naked is as easy as talking to Mina fully clothed, and for the hundredth time wonders if this girl isn’t some sort of destined match made in heaven.

Then Mina’s hands start to roam from her back to her butt, to the inside of her thighs and that’s when the playful banter turns into something else.

“You can tell me to stop if anything makes you uncomfortable.” Mina says, pressing a gentle kiss to Dahyun’s shoulder.

“I can also tell you not to stop.” Dahyun breathes out shakily, which prompts a giggle.

Mina is behind her, exploring Dahyun’s skin like a map. Her wet fingertips touch her stomach and go up to her breasts, grabbing them slowly. Dahyun swallows and nods, so Mina kneads them as she kisses the side of her neck. Mina’s nails scratch around Dahyun’s nipples softly and the diver groans. The sound echoes through the bathroom, encouraging Mina to keep doing that.

Dahyun rubs her ass against Mina’s core after a moment, and Mina decides to give the girl the attention she needs. Her hands go all the way down to her thighs, scratching softly and rubbing circular motions closer and closer to where the girl is dripping.

“Mina…” Dahyun voices out loud, rubbing again.

“Can I do this from behind you?” Mina whispers and Dahyun’s knees nearly buckle.

“Y-yeah.”

Mina finally touches her clit before getting two fingers lost against her folds and Dahyun lets out a high-pitched whine. She uses her arms to balance herself against the wall and spreads her legs further, giving Mina more access. The fingers rub her thoroughly and slowly, and Mina moans hotly against her ear, prompting a gasp.

“Good?” Mina asks.

“Very. Do… do that again.”

“What?”

“The… moan. Moan in my ear again.” Dahyun is shaking, and it’s not because she’s cold.

Mina obliges, her hot breath being more effective at turning Dahyun on than anything she’s doing. Mina kisses her shoulders, then her neck and the hinge of her jaw, picking up the pace. Dahyun is completely soaked, so she pushes one finger in, giving her time to adjust. When Dahyun starts to move against her hand on her own, Mina moves her wrist.

“T-that feels really good.” Dahyun mutters in a broken chuckle, pressing her ass against Mina’s front as the fingers pump in and out.

“I like to make you feel good.” Mina replies with a chaste kiss to her ear. The softness of it all makes Dahyun melt, and she’s less concerned about the finger inside her and more concerned with the fact that the girl behind her is being so sweet in the middle of shower sex.

It escalates quickly, and when Mina’s palm rubs the right spot against her clit, Dahyun moans.

“Keep— keep going, f-fuck—”

Mina does, and it doesn’t take long for Dahyun’s walls to tighten around her finger as she lets out a sinful groan that drags out for a bit. Mina helps her ride it out slowly, and finally Dahyun grabs her wrist, stilling it after getting down from her high.

The two girls breathe heavily inside the shower, with the water still hitting their backs, and Dahyun finally turns around to look at Mina with wobbly legs.

“Holy shit.” Is what she says, then regrets it, because surely there were more romantic things to say after having sex with someone she cherished.

Mina simply laughs, washing her hand and then wrapping her arms around Dahyun’s shoulders again. “I’ll take this reaction.”

Dahyun smiles with sleepy eyes, closing the space in between them and kissing Mina like it’s the first time. It’s always magical, kissing Mina. Maybe she’s just a fool who fell too hard.

They get out of the shower after that to dry themselves. Dahyun’s stomach feels light and filled with butterflies, and she can’t stop smiling and stealing glances at the city girl. Mina is always watching when she does, which doesn’t help her to calm down. She just wants to hold her, maybe for the whole night, maybe forever.

Maybe it’s too much.

“So… that was a thing— hey!” Mina starts speaking but is interrupted when Dahyun sweeps her off her feet and drags her to the bedroom. She can’t stop laughing, holding Dahyun’s shoulders, afraid to fall.

“This prince knows how to treat his princess right, you know.” Is all Dahyun says, placing Mina gently on the mattress.

“Oh, really?” Mina says in between giggles. Dahyun hovers over her with a fond gaze and Mina is left speechless at the pure love oozing out of her features at that moment. The moonlight sweeping through the window is strong, and she can see everything perfectly.

She can see Dahyun perfectly.

“Really,” Dahyun murmurs, leaning down. She kisses Mina again, licking softly into her mouth and hearing the waves crashing on the sand. It’s like paradise on Earth, and Mina can be her goddess for as long as the planet spins.

Dahyun uses one hand to touch Mina’s stomach under her big shirt, and feels her abs with a sigh. She pulls back a little. “That’s so not fair…”

Mina chuckles against her mouth, silencing her with another kiss.

Dahyun massages her tummy slowly, rubbing it up and down, and then slides up to the underside of her left boob. Mina’s hands move to Dahyun’s hair, and when Dahyun thumbs one of her erect nipples, Mina pulls on her scalp a little.

“Oh?” Dahyun stops kissing her, thinking she did something wrong.

“I’m just… very sensitive,” Mina is a blushing mess already and Dahyun wants to swallow her whole. The lust in Mina’s eyes is prominent, so Dahyun moves a little, removing her big shirt.

“I’ll be gentle, then.” Dahyun says, tossing the garment on the floor and placing her mouth against Mina’s abs. She kisses and licks, roaming everywhere. Mina makes little noises and squirms and it’s enough to arouse Dahyun all over again. When she goes up to suck on a nipple, Mina moans.

“God, I could listen to your voice forever,” Dahyun mutters, sucking the other breast. Mina’s hands on her hair pull gently, and Dahyun isn’t exactly opposed to it.

Mina wasn’t kidding when she said she was sensitive. Dahyun’s tongue makes her lose her mind, and all she’s been doing is sucking on her breasts so far. If the diver doesn’t move soon, Mina might come just from that alone.

“D-Dahyun-ah.” She manages to say, making Dahyun look up. “Can you… you know.”

“Can I…?”

Mina lets out a trembling breath, averting her gaze. “Down there. Please.”

Dahyun blinks, then smirks. “Oh. As you wish, princess.”

Mina giggles at that. It’s endearing, the way Dahyun calls herself her prince. It’s been one of Mina’s fantasies for a while, she wasn’t going to lie.

Dahyun starts kissing down her stomach, then reaches her shorts again. With a pull, she removes it easily, then smiles at the sight. Mina wasn’t wearing an underwear, because hers got wet in the sea.

Mina’s hand is on Dahyun’s scalp immediately, and the diver takes it as a sign to go on. With one broad lick, she tastes Mina for the first time, and the way she whines above her is glorious. Dahyun keeps licking slowly, going through her folds completely, and Mina doesn’t stop shaking. She pulls and trembles, moving against Dahyun’s face at the rhythm of her tongue, and when Dahyun dips it inside Mina bites her lip.

“Don’t stop… don’t stop…” Mina’s voice is hoarse. Dahyun had no idea the effect she could cause on her just by doing that.

Her tongue works faster now, and she sucks on Mina’s clit sometimes, moving back to her folds. Mina’s breathing gets more and more irregular, and eventually she reaches her climax by arching her back and stifling her moan with a hand.

It feels like diving. It’s like her world stops for a second, and she’s simply floating along the current, without a destination. Her body feels so good and secure that she could cry. Mina feels incredibly safe at this moment.

Dahyun crawls back to her when Mina stops squirming, and watches as the girl lies down, her chest moving up and down with her breathing. She’s sweating, her hair is messy, and the afterglow makes Dahyun’s chest compress.

It feels like diving.

She’s so beautiful.

“I like you so much.”

The words spill before Dahyun can stop herself, and Mina’s eyelids flutter at the confession. She sees a blushing Dahyun on top of her and smiles lazily, bringing one hand to cup her cheek.

“I like you a lot, too.”

The waves crash on the beach, the shiny plankton float mindlessly in the sea, and Mina and Dahyun kiss again to the sound of the ocean.

Mina thinks that this is a spectacle on its own.

 

\--

 

“Do you have everything you need?” Dahyun looks through her bag once more, checking if she gave Mina everything for her trip. “Water? The sandwiches I made? Medicine in case you get sick on the bus?”

“It’s all here, baby.” Mina giggles, pressing a soft peck to her lips. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. It’s only a two-hours ride.”

“Okay, but you can get really hungry in two hours.” Dahyun pouts.

“I’ll eat your sandwiches, I promise.”

“You better. I want a picture of the empty wrapping.”

Mina rolls her eyes and the bus arrives. She looks at the vehicle and sighs, turning back at Dahyun. “Help me carry my bags?”

They walk all the way to the terminal, and Mina is really glad for the amount of people waiting in line to get on the bus, back to their normal city lives. It means she gets to have more time with her beach girl.

“So, this was nice.” Dahyun says, fingers intertwined with Mina’s.

“Nice?” Mina smirks, rubbing her knuckles.

“I meant the diving, of course. It’s always nice to show people the fish.”

“Right. The fish. Of course, what else would it be?”

Dahyun and Mina eye each other with a serious gaze, but then can’t hold back a laugh. Dahyun brings Mina’s hands to her lips, kissing it lovingly.

“You’ll call me, right?” The tone shifts, and Dahyun looks down.

Mina stares at her, and it hurts a lot more than she anticipated. She presses a kiss to her forehead. “Everyday.”

It seems to be enough. “Okay. Everyday.”

It’s almost her turn to get on the bus and Mina feels like running away. She has her life, and her friends, and the last year of college to finish, but she wants to stay. She wants Dahyun, and nothing else _but_ Dahyun, and wonders what’s the point of the ocean being so big if she can’t see it from her house.

“I’ll visit, soon.” Is all Mina can say, in the end.

Dahyun nods, trying her best to keep the tears in, and kisses her one last time. They have to part, and watching Mina get on the bus is hard. But she’ll get through this.

It’s only a two-hours ride, after all.

Dahyun waves as she sees Mina sitting by the window. They keep smiling at each other until the bus starts moving.

That’s when Mina remembers. She opens her window suddenly, and yells.

“Dahyun-ah!”

The diver looks up, eyes wide open, and runs towards the moving vehicle. “What? What is it?? You forgot the water, didn’t you!”

“Music!”

“Huh?”

“I’m a music major! I’ll become a professional singer!”

The last mystery is finally revealed. It all makes sense now – the beautiful voice that came out of nowhere when Dahyun asked her about her singing, and the way Mina couldn’t stop wanting to dive after her first time.

Dahyun had been falling in love with a city mermaid, all along.

After processing the information, she starts to laugh, still running after her.

The bus is finally too fast for her to keep up, but it doesn’t matter. She knows they’ll meet again, soon.

 

\--

 

Mina’s first text message happens one hour after they parted.

_“Do you think of me when you look to the sea?”_

Dahyun smiles, and turns her head towards the horizon, where the sea breeze hits her nostrils and the sound of waves is loud and clear. She types back.

_“All the time.”_

Living by the sea has its perks, Dahyun thinks.

**Author's Note:**

> Listen to To The Sea by Seafret and watch Amanchu. Not necessarily in that order.
> 
> Find me on my social media:  
> Twitter: @niigoki_  
> Tumblr: niigoki  
> CuriousCat: curiouscat.me/niigoki


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